Her art is held in international and library collections, including The Museum of Modern Art, New York. June 2012 - March 2016, her practice of performance, sculpture, painting, drawing became based in Newfoundland, Canada, a shift made possible with a generous Canada Council for the Arts grant.

January 4th, 2017 through April 30th, 2018 Wheatley is the artist in residence at the University of Rochester in New York. Half the time working intimately with the mental health community creating 114 portraits from life and the other half sitting with members of the HIV/AIDS family in both Rochester and Buffalo. Please visit Drawings to view a sampling of portraits completed.

Charmaine Wheatley exhibited works on paper in the Fenway Gallery, at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, September 4, 2015 - February 13th, 2017. An installation of 104 portraits, done from life while in residence at the museum, were installed August 25th, 2016 on the 4th floor of the Gardner's contemporary building and are currently on view.

BIOGRAPHY

Charmaine Wheatley is a performance artist who records by watercolour drawing, typically housing works in pocket-sized tin boxes. She has published books: Beau Fleuve: The Heart of North America (2006), 30% of Buffalo (2009), and Brett's Ball (2014). Brett’s Ball is a full color 48-page comic with rubber-stamped details celebrates Canadian abundance while making visual the importance of "downtime" in the workplace. In addition, her drawings have appeared in publications such as Border Crossings, FUKT, and C Magazine. As of September 2015, Wheatley’s latest artist book titled: “Souvenirs” was made with and published by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. A signed, numbered, limited edition of 300 was available through the gift shop and has since sold out. The artist is currently working on a signed, numbered poster print edition of her drawing presently on exhibit at the ISGM, titled "Impossible Shoes". Available now through the Museum gift shop.

Wheatley's performance "What Is The Role Of Women?" involves a large taxidermied sculpture (6 bears, moose & caribou), many costumed participants and printed matter in Newfoundland. It was last performed in St. John’s, Newfoundland through Eastern Edge Gallery (August 2014). At the Mills Gallery, Boston, MA. she performed and exhibited “Moonpies” (2012). Her solo exhibition history includes the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA. (2015-present); Buffalo Arts Studio Galleries I & II, Buffalo, New York (2009); HQ Gallery, Brooklyn (2007); the Carnegie Art Center in Buffalo (2006); AKA Gallery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (2005); Gallery 111, Winnipeg, Manitoba (2001); drivedrive.com, Amsterdam (2000); and Halifax, Nova Scotia (1997).

Between 2002 and 2005, Wheatley collaborated with DJ/sound artist, Taketo Shimada on performance based “Charmaine” projects. "My Charmaine" was a song Wheatley was named after and was originally written and composed by Erno Rapee and Lew Pollack in the 1920’s. Wheatley and Shimada's work involved printed matter, sound, and functional sculptures, and was presented in Toronto and in New York at the Whitebox Gallery, SubTONIC, the Emily Harvey Gallery, 725 Washington Street, the Knitting Factory, and at New York University.

Since graduating from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in 1995, Wheatley has received grants from the Canada Council for the Arts; Arts Nova Scotia; and Arts Newfoundland Labrador. She's been an artist in residence at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA. since 2012, returning in 2014, 2015 & 2016. Click here to jump to residency page description; SU-CASA/Brooklyn Arts Council (2016); Pace University, New York (2010); the Seven Below Arts Initiative, Vermont (2008); and Confederation Centre for the Arts/Parks Canada on Prince Edward Island (2007).